Operating mechanism for box-car doors



Jan. 14, 1930. s. P. STARK OPERATING MECHANISM FOR BOX CAR DOORS '2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed July 3, 1926 Jan. 14,1930. sfp. STARK 1 743,2 7

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR BOX CAR DOORS Original Filed July 5, 1926 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

m BY JZ G/k A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED TES SHELIDA P. STARK, F OTTOSEN, IOWA OPERATING MECHANISM FOR BOX-CAR DOORS Application filed July 3, 1926, Serial No. 120,371.

- The present invention relates to box cars, and the more particular reference to a device for assisting in'the operation of the sliding doors of such cars.

It is well known that frequently it is practically impossible to open or close the sliding doors of box cars, particularly when loaded with grain and the like owing to the sagging of the car body and to the warping and dislo alinement of the hanger and guide rails.

l/Vhile these defects cannot be overcome to any appreciable extent the present invention has for an object to provide a device which may be coupled between the car body and the door for forcing the latter to move, the device being manually operable.

Another object is to provide a door moving device for box cars which may be quickly and easily folded up into compact form and may be easily carried from car to car; and a device which may be readily opened out and applied in proper position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character with two parts:

a door engaging part, and a car body engaging part, both parts being constructed so that they may be independently applied to their respective parts and will remain in position 7 to permit the application, operation and removal and folding of the device all by one man. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particu larly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a box car with the sliding door open and having the device of this invention applied thereto for closin the door.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through Figure 1 taken near the top thereof and looki11 down upon the door moving device. 7

' igure 3 is a detail side elevation of the door engaging section detached and folded, and

Figure 4 is a detail inner side elevation of Renewed August 3, 1928.

the car body engaging section, showing the rope or cable in position therein. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a box car body 10 having a side opening 11 closed by a door 12. The door is suspendedby hangers 13 from a top rail 14 secured along the outer side of the body 10, and a bottom rail 15 also secured along the outer side of the car body and with which lugs 16 on the lower end of the door 12 engage to hold the lower end of the door close to the side of the car bot y. The car body 10 also has the usual post 17 at the far side of the door opening 11 serving as a stop for the door 12 when closed. The door engaging member comprises three claws 18, 19 and 20, the'claws 18 and 19 being spaced one above the other and interbraced by a rod 21. The claws 18 and 19 are in the form of angle irons adapted to engage about the edge of the door 12, and the rod 21 has its ends secured to the outer sides of the angle irons and is arched outwardly from the same to freely receive therebeneaththe stop 22 of the car body. The other claw20 is yieldingly connectedto the first two claws 18 and 19, andis also so connected that the claw 20 may be collapsed toward the rod 21. Each claw 18 and 19 has pivotally connected to'it a pair of hinged links 23 which are pivoted at their other ends to the diverging arms 24 of a pulley block 25 in which a pulley 26 is mounted. The block 25 has a third arm 27 to which a spring frame 28 is pivoted A rod 29 is slidably mounted in the frame 28 and carries a spring 30 which engages atone end against the frame 28 and at'its other end against a collar31 on the inner end of the rod 29. The outer end of the rod 29 carries the claw 20 which is adapted to engage about the outer edge of the door 12. The spring 30 is of suficient strength to bind the claws 18 and 19 and 20 againstthe opposite'e'nds' of the door 12 and hold the pulley block25 to the door.

As shown in Figure 3 the door attaching member may be collapsed: 'or folded into compact form by folding one of the pairs of links 22 u on each other to bring theo' posite pair 0 links close to and substantial y parallel with the rod 21. The spring frame claws 32, 33 and 34 the inturned fingers of which are adapted to engage the inner edge of the post 17 as shown in Figure 1. The claws 32, 33 and 34 extend across thev outer face of the post 17 and beyond the same and are connected together at their inner ends by an inwardly extending flange 35. Thumb screws 36 are threadedthrough the flange 35, and have'swivelled heads 37 arranged opposite to the inturned fingers of the claws. The fiange35 between the upper claws 32 and 33 is arched or'ofi'set laterally away from the post 17 to accommodate any fixtures which may be carried upon the car body 10. The second frame thus constructed is adapted to carry a'windlass 38 mounted on a shaft 39 journalled at one end in the upper claw 32 and supported at its other end in a bracket arm 40 carried by the frame and spaced outwardly from the upper claw 32. The shaft 39 has a. crank handle 41 at the outer side of the bracket arm 40 by means of which the Windlass 38-may be turned for winding thereon one end of a rope or cable 42.

The cable 42 passes from the drum 38, over the pulley 26 and is returned from the under side thereof to an idler pulley 43 which ismounted upon the intermediate claw 33,

' pulley block 25. The claw is now pulled away from the claws18 and 19 and the claws are engaged about the outer and inner edges of the door 12. As soon as the claws are re- I leased, the spring is permitted to act for drawing the rod 29 inwardly and binding the claws against the opposite edges of the door 12. The spring 30 therefore holds the door engaging member in position without tensioning the cable 42 or without any manual assistance. The car body engaging member is now applied to the post 17 or the like of the car body 10. H The inwardly extending fingers of the claws 32, 33:.and 34 are engaged about the inneredge of the postj17' while the thumb screws 36 are advanced through the fiange'35 to engage the swivel heads 37 against the outer ed-ge 'of the post 17. This binds the car body engaging member in position. The rope or cable 42 may now be threaded over the various pulleys as shown in Figure 1 and the windlass 38 operated to draw the cable taut. I

As the handle 41 is turned it contracts the cable 42 and-draws the door engaging. member forwardly, carrying with it the door. When considerable leverage is obtained through the crank -or handle 41 which may be made of the desired radius as compared with the. drum 38, and the pulley 26 in the door engaging member, so that relatively light pressure only need be applied to the handle 41 for forcing the door 12 to move upon its rails 14 and 15, even though the rails sag or otherwise become distorted.

It is readily apparent that the device may be operated by one man as each member is independently applied to its respective part of the car and the device may be operated by the single handle 41. It is also apparent that the separate parts remain in position when once placed upon the car body and car door so that their position doesnot depend upon a relative tension between the parts.

It will be noted from Figures 1- and 4 that the cable 42 extends downwardly from the idler 43 and throughthe space between the flange and the post 17. This portion of the cable 42 in this space may-be grasped by hand for manual and direct manipulation and for-facilitating the taking up or tying of the cable 42 to the lower claw 34. To

construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it

being only necessary that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims. i What is claimed is 1. A detachable device for opening sliding car doors, comprising a clamping member adapted for engagement with a car door and having a pulley thereon, a car body engaging member adapted to be clamped upon the car body in a position adjacent thedoor, a

Windlass on said body engaging member, and a rope secured at one end to the body engaging 'member and connected to the Windlass at its other end, the intermediate portion of said rope being adapted to pass over said pulley on the door engaging member.

2. A detachable device for opening slid car doors comprising a clamping mem ber having spring operating claws for engagement against opposite edges of the door and including a pulley arranged at the outer side of the door, a cable trained over said pulley, a car body engaging member adapted to be secured to the car at a point remote from said door, one end of said cable being adapted for connection with said car body engaging member, and a winding drum carried upon the car body engaging member and having the opposite end of said cable secured thereto, whereby upon the winding of said drum said cable is contracted and caused. to move over said pulley of the door engaging member for advancing the same.

3. A detachable device for opening sliding car doors comprising a pair of clamping 15 members, one member being adapted for clampin engagement upon a car door and the other member being adapted for clamping engagement upon the car body at a point opposite to the door, and leverage means 20 connecting said members together for operation to relatively, move the members and move said door.

4. A detachable device for opening sliding car doors comprising a pair of claws, a brace rod connecting said claws to ether for engagement against the inner end of a car door, a third claw for engagement against the outer end of the car door, a pulley block connected to said third claw, pairs of foldable links connecting the pulley block to said first pair of claws, a spring interposed between the pulley block and said third claw for yieldingly pointing the claw against the inner and outer edges of the door, a pulley in said pulley block, a cable trained over said pulley, a frame adapted for engagement with the car body opposite to said door, means for clamping said frame upon the car body, one end of said cable being secured to said frame, and a Windlass in the frame connected'to the opposite end of said cable and adapted to be operated for winding the cable thereon and effectingv the relative movements of the door and car body engaging members.

5. A detachable device for opening sliding car doors comprising a Windlass including a frame and a cable winding shaft, a cable attached at one end to the Windlass frame, and at its opposite end to said winding shaft, a clamp adapted for detachable engagement with the door stop bar of the box car, a flexible connection between the clamp and said Windlass, and additional clamps adapted for detachable engagement over the edge of the door remote from the door stop bar, said additional clamps being operatively connected to said cable.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my C signature.

SHELIDA P. STARK. 

